Photo credit by !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre, Western Cape, South Africa

Amakhala Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

French tourist arrested in Rio for drugs and bribery is a French off duty police officer

A French tourist was arrested in the center of the tourism action in Rio de Janeiro last week for caught red handed with drugs. This tourist turned out to be an off-duty agent of the French Federal Police vacationing in Rio. He was released from prison on Sunday morning. He was accused to have possessed around thirty grams of marijuana. Local news outlet O Globo reported that after the suspect was caught he attempted to bribe the police but was taken to jail.

The 27-year-old French police officer was stopped just after midnight behind the Arcos de Lapa (Lapa Arches) on Rua Silva Romero, by officers of the 5th Battalion of the Military Police (BPM).

He made at least one attempt to bribe the arresting officers.

Police reports state the suspect was caught red-handed in the act of smoking the drug, and proceeded to open his wallet, gesticulating that he would pay for his release. An interpreter was called upon to assist the Brazilian police with their investigation.

The accused man claimed that he had been advised, back home in France, to offer money to the Brazilian police in the case of such an eventuality in order to buy his freedom, and that this was common practice in Brazil. He was fined for use and possession of drugs, and attempted corruption of justice. Judge Andréia Florêncio Berto granted a license for his release from prison, as he “posed no risk to society.”

In his testimony the Frenchman admitted that he was using drugs with two unknown men before being arrested. He also admitted to offering a bribe, but neither the tourist nor the arresting officers would say how much was offered.